‘Flabbergasted’ City Council chair demands ‘Price is Right’ stop promoting Haiku Stairs

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Even though the Haiku Stairs are doomed, illegal hiking at the Windward Oahu hike is still blatant.

In fact, a Haiku Stairs tour was recently advertised on national game show “The Price is Right.”

City Council Chair Tommy Waters said the promotion has to stop.

Despite guard dogs and security cameras, trespassers going on the illegal hike to the Haiku Stairs have been a pain for nearby residents for years.

But “The Price is Right” ad got even them alarmed.

On the May 10 episode, the show gave away an illegal guided tour to the stairs ― complete with lodging for two at the Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach.

“I couldn’t believe this is being advertised on a national stage like this,” said Haiku resident Brent Teraoka.

Added Waters: “I was flabbergasted.”

He sent a letter to the game show in June.

“The stairs are closed and the city doesn’t feel that it’s safe and that they should cease and desist,” said Waters.

He said in the letter, “Programs like “The Price is Right,” with a national television and online following, create a disservice to the City and County of Honolulu by legitimizing hiking the Haiku Stairs as a legally acceptable activity,” he said in his letter.

Waters says he has not heard a response from the game show.

“I would love if they actually responded to my letter because then we could find out did they pay somebody for this,” he asked.

It’s not known what company offered the illegal tour, but a search online shows an ad from Viator, a Trip Advisor Company, offering a ‘legal way to top the Stairway to Heaven” for $125.

“Despite online posts and blogs claiming information to the contrary, there is no legal way to access the Haiku Stairs,” said Waters, in his letter.

Residents say they’re glad Mayor Rick Blangiardi decided to tear down the stairs. But until that happens, they insist the illegal activity must stop.

“If it says no trespassing that applies to you as well,” said a Haiku resident, who lives near one of the access points.

The timeline for the project to tear down the stairs is still being worked on according to the city.

Hawaii News Now reached out to “The Price is Right” and Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach for comment and has not heard back.

Copyright 2021 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.